1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to the methods of forming characters for microprint and related technologies and an image forming apparatus using the same, and more particularly, to methods of forming characters for microprint and related technologies and an image forming apparatus using the same, which could be used in modern color and black-and-white printers and multifunction printing devices, thus eliminating the necessity to employ g special micro-fonts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microprint serves as a function or method to protect and prevent against forgery and unauthorized copying, since it is very difficult to copy a text of very small size correctly in attempt to counterfeit a bank-note or other document bearing a microprinted or related text imprinted thereon. When a bank-note or other document is put into a photocopier, computer scanner, or related device, a line with a microprint text will be perceived by the copier or scanner as a dashed line that will be thereafter rendered as a counterfeit bank-note or printed document. Thus, forgery and unauthorized copying can be prevented. When copied, the microprint will also not be rendered verbatim and literatim in attempts of forgery and unauthorized copying using an offset printing machine, since the text is too small for engraving with lithographic plates using methods well-known for general public or counterfeiters. Therefore, microprint used together with other methods to protect from forgery of bank-notes and documents serves generally for confirmation of the fact of authenticity of a printed bank-note or document.
Moreover, employment of microprint is widespread in producing documents protected from copying. Examples of solutions involving microprint technology can be found, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,823,576, 6,045,656, 7,152,047, and 7,270,918.
Professional offset devices are used in microprinting technology. It is often impossible to print a readable text with a font of a very small size in one typographical point and less possible by employing a normal font and user printing devices. Characters printed with a small size such as one typographical point are significantly distorted and substantially illegible.
Special micro-fonts are usually employed in microprinting. However, every micro-font includes a limited set of characters, e.g., for several languages only, and it is impossible in general to print an arbitrary character. An additional memory is required to store micro-fonts. Development of micro-fonts is a long and complex autonomous process.
Related art to the present general inventive concept are the method and system to print microtext disclosed in the US Patent Laid-out Application No. 2007/0252838, which provide a special micro-font based on the PostScript Type 3 font. This related art has the following disadvantages: the special micro-font is developed autonomously, which deteriorates the usability and requires an additional memory to store the developed micro-font. The micro-font has a limited set of characters, which narrows the range of use thereof. Additionally, special printing devices having a capability of high resolution print are required to microprint, which also narrows the range of use of the related art method and usability thereof.